Ironing machine



\ June 24, 1930. v L R 1,767,864

IRONING MACHINE Filed Sept. 4,1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR fifloaym 14%? BY I Ari ATTORNEY5 June 24, 1930. R v WELLER 1,767,864

I IRONI'NG MAC'HINE Filed Sept. 4, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 I" Il 1 IH I A/Qr ATTORNEYS June 24, 1930. R. v. WELLER I IRONING MACHINE Filed Sept. 4, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet f5 0 w 7 fi M a 2 a m "M W Y B A; ATTORNEY S of the iron and the bed which is so Patented June 24, 1930 PATE NT OFFICE RANDOLPH V. WELLER, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE DEXTER COM- PANY OF FAIRFIELD, IOWA, A CORPORATION OF IOWA momma MACHINE Application filed September 4, 1926. Serial No. 133,521.

The present invention relates to ironing machines and more particularly to the type in which there is provided a bed and an iron arranged to cooperate with the bed, there being provided a relative movement between the parts to permit the introduction of the material between the iron and the bed or the removal of the material from such position. An object of this invention is to provide a means for controlling the separation ositioned that it prevents the machine from being operated to bring the iron and the bed together while the hand of the user of the machine is positioned between the bed and the iron. A further object of the invention is to provide a means for controlling the relative movement between the bed and the iron which is so located that it prevents the iron and the bed being brought together' while the hand of. a user is positioned between them and which when the iron and the bed are cooperating with the material is so located as not to interfere with the passage of the material between the bed and the iron.

To these and other ends, the invention consists of certain parts and combinations of parts, all of which will be hereinafter described: the novel features being pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an ironing machine constructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of one end of the machine showing the manner in which the controlling means is connected to the mechanism for effecting the.

movement between the iron and the bed;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section showing the iron and the bed in cooperation and also showing the position of the controlling member while the parts are so positioned;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view showing the iron and the bed separated and the position of the controlling member while they are in such positions; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the manner in which the controlling means controls the driving mechanism of the machine.

The present invention is capable of being embodied in any ironing machine where a relative movement takes place between the iron and the bed and movement between these parts is effected through a power driven mechanism controlled by a manually operable member.

Referring more particularly to the present embodiment 1 indicates the frame of the machine which has a receiving board 2, side pieces 3 and c supporting a feeding board 5 and also a rotary bed 6 with which an iron 7 cooperates, the iron being heated in any manner as by the burner 8. In the illustrated embodiment, the iron is pivoted at 9 below the rotary bed 6 and is moved toward and from the bed by means of a double arm lever 10 pivoted at 11 to a yieldingly mounted support and having one end connected pivotally to the'iron by being connected to the rotary burner tube 8 and its other end pivotally connected at 12 to a link or pitman 13 which in turn is pivoted at 14 to a double arm lever 15, this double arm lever 15 being pivotally supported at 16 on a shiftable supporting link 17 carrying at its free end a roller 18 which cooperates with a cam 19, this cam being supported on a stub shaft 20 which is axially aligned with a shaft 21. The shaft 21 carries a worm wheel 22 meshing with a worm 23 which is driven in this instance by the electric motor 24. A clutch connection is arranged between the shaft 21 and the shaft 20, this clutch connection in this instance embodying a member 25 formed with pockets 26 in one face thereof adapted to receive a plunger 27 movable in a member 28 and operated through a lever 29 pivoted at 30 to the member 28. The member 25 has a gear 31 formed thereon which meshes with an idler gear 32 which is mounted on a frame 33 journalled on the shaft 34. This shaft 34 has secured thereto a large gear .35 which in turn meshes with a pinion 36 turning with the gear 32. The shaft .34 is the shaft of the rotary bed 6 so that, through the train of gearing 31, 32, 36 and 35, the rotary bed is turnedfrom the electrical motor. In order that the turning of the bed will cease when the iron is moved away from the bed, the member 28 has a cam surface 37 which cooperateswith a roller 38 on the swinging frame 33 and shifts said frame so as to carry the gear 32 out of engagement with the gear 31. This frame may also be controlled through a manually operable lever 39 pivoted at 40 to the side piece 4 and engaging with the frame The clutch connection between the shaft 21 and the shaft 20 for effecting relative movement between the iron and the bed is controlled in this instance by a sliding frame 41 which surrounds the shaft 20 and has thereon two projections 42 and 43 which are adapted to cooperate with a cam surface 44 formed on the lever 29 in' order to swing said lever on its axis 30 so as to draw the plunger 27 out of engagement with the clutch member 25. -A spring 45 acts on the lever to normally hold said plunger toward the clutch member 25. This sliding member 41 in this instance is pivotally suspended at 46 from a lever 47 which at 48 is pivoted to the side frame 3 on the inner face thereof, the side frame having an opening 49 through which the upper end of the slide 41 is extended in order to connect with the lever 47. A spring 50 operates on the lever 47 in order to normally hold the latter elevated with the projection 43 in the path of the cam 44. Depression of this lever throws the projection 43 out of engagement with the cam and permits the spring 45 to establish clutching connection between the shafts 21 and 20 so that the iron is moved toward the bed 6 and the bed is rotated. The shaft 21 carries the lever one-half revolution until the cam portion 44 engages the projection 42 when the lever 29 is again actuated tobreak connection with the shaft 21, thus causing the iron to maintain its connection with the bed and drawing the gear 32 into connection with the gear 31 so that the bed continues its rotation. On the next depression of the lever 47 against the action of the spring 50 the projection 42 is depressed below the cam 44 permitting the spring 45 to again move the plunger 27 into connection with the clutch member 25 so that the shaft 20 is again rotated 180 until the cam 44 again engages the. projection 43. At this time the clutching connection which is between the shaft 21 and the shaft 20 is broken, the iron 7 has been moved away from the bed, and the rotation of the bed has been discontinued due to the fact that the cam 37 has shifted the frame 33 to throw the gear 32 out of connection with the gear 31. With the end in view of permitting the iron 7 to be moved to an extreme position away from the bed, the shiftable supporting link 17 has its movement in one direction limited by a stop 17 which is pivoted at 17 to the side piece 3 and has a hand grip 17 by which it may be moved out of the path of the swinging supporting link 17 permitting the pivot 18 of the latter to move toward the front the iron to drop away from the bed.

The feature of this invention is-the novel means through which the relative movement between the bed and the iron is controlled. This means in this instance comprises a controlling bar 51 extending longitudinally of the machine in front of the upper end of the iron substantially from one end of the iron to the other and in this instance mounted upon the iron. Preferably it is supported on two arms 52 which extend rearwardly and are pivotally supported on a rod 53 which extends through the iron and projects from opposite sides thereof the arms 52 being supported on the projecting ends. This controlling member or bar 51 connects with the lever 47 through a lost motion connection permitting the relative movement between the iron and the bed while at the same time, permitting the lever 47 to be controlled from either position of the iron. In this instance, this lost motion connection embodies a curved or cam slot 54 formed in the lever 47 and having a pin or projection 55 operating therein and extending laterally from an arm 56 which projects forwardly from one of the arms 52 to one side of the turning axis 53 of such arm. When the iron is in cooperation with the bed, the projection 55 lies in the forward end of the slot and shifts the controlling bar relatively to the iron in a rearward direction so that the passage of goods between the iron and the bed is not interfered with. When the iron is swung away from the bed this projection moves rearwardly in the slot and in an upward direction, thus tending to throw the control ling bar 51 upwardly with reference to the slot and away from the bed. When in this position the controlling bar is situated-at such a distance from the bed that it is possible for the user of the machine to manipulate the goods in order to introduce them between the bed and tion the hands will lie between the controlling bar 51 and the bed, thereby preventing the accidental depression of the controlling bar to start the machine and bring the bed of the machine and the iron but in this posi- I toward the 'iron with an injurious effect on the hands of the user. The controlling bar, however, is spaced from the bed such a distance that it may be depressed, provided the hands of the user are not between it and the bed, for the purpose of effecting co-operation between theiron and the bed in the usual ironing operation. When the iron 7 is thrown to its extreme position away from the bed by the shifting of the stop l7 out of the path of the line 17, the roller 55 moves still further toward the rear end of the slot, so that if the controlling bar 51 is depressed, the roller 55 will merely shift in the slot without depressing the lever 47, so that the machine cannot be started while the iron is in its extreme position away from the bed, until the link 17 is moved to its position shown in Fig. 3 by the stop 17. The slot 54.- with the roller 55 provides a lost motion connection which becomes effective when the iron 7 is lying in its extreme position away from the bed.

From the foregoing it will be seen that there has been provided a power driven machine in which the controlling'member for controlling the relative movement between the iron and the bed is so positioned that it is impossible to bring the iron and the bed into cooperation while the hand of a user of the machine is introducing or positioning goodsbetween the iron and the bed.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an ironing machine, the combination with a rotary bed, and a curved iron,

arranged at the rear of the bed and movable toward and from the latter, and a power mechanism for effecting the movement of the iron toward and from the bed, of controlling mechanism for the power mechanism embodying a lever having connection with the power mechanism to control the latter and pivoted in front of the bed, saidlever extending rearwardly from its pivot and being provided with a cam slot, a controlling bar extending substantially throughout the length of the iron arranged above the bed in advance of the upper end of the iron and having arms pivotally connected with the iron and an arm extending forwardly and provided with means operating in the curved slot.

2. In an ironing machine, the combination with a rotary bed, a curved iron movable toward and from the bed and arranged in rear of the latter, and power mechanism for effecting movement of the iron toward and from the bed, of controlling mechanism for the power mechanism embodying a controlling bar extending substantially throughout the length of the iron arranged above the bed and mounted on the iron in advance of the upper end of the latter, said.

bar having a lost motion connection with the other parts of the controlling mechanism whereby the movement of the iron relatively to the bed is permitted.

3. In an ironing machine, the combination with a rotary bed, a curved iron mov able toward and from the bed and at the rear of the latter, and a power mechanism for effecting the movement of the iron toward and from the bed, of controlling mechanism for the iron embodying a controlling member extending substantially throughout the length of the iron mounted on the iron and having lost motion connection with the other parts of the controlling mechanism permitting the movementof the iron relatively to the bed.

4. In an ironing machine, the combination with a rotary bed, a curved iron arranged in rear of the bed and movable toward and from the bed, and power mechanism for effecting the movement between the iron and the bed, of controlling mechanism for the power mechanism embodying a controlling member extending substantially throughout the length of the iron arranged above the bed in advance of the upper end of the iron, movably supported on the iron and having a lost motion connection with other parts of the controlling mechanism.

5. In an ironing machine, the combination with a rotary bed, an iron, and power mechanism for effecting a certain relative movement between the 'bed and the iron, of means for effecting a separation of the iron and the bed greater than said certain relative movement, a controller for the power mechanism, and a connection between the controller and the power mechanism having means'therein which renders said controller ineffective for; effecting the operation of power mechanism when the last mentioned separation exists. v

6. In an ironing machine, the combination with a rotary bed,an iron for cooperation with the bed, a power mechanism, connection between the power mechanism and said iron for moving the iron a certain distance toward and from the bed, means for. effecting a separation of the iron from the bed a greater distance than that effected by the power mechanism, a controller for the power connection, and a connection between the controller and the power mechanism having means therein rendering said controller ineffective for effecting the operation of the power mechanism when said iron is separated from the bed such greater distance.

7 In an ironing machine, the combination with a rotary bed, an iron for cooperation with the bed, and a power mechanism, of zconnection between the power mechanism and said iron for moving the iron a certain distance toward and from the bed, means 4? me'neee for eflecting a separation of the iron from the bed a greater distance than that efiected by the power mechanism, a controller for the power mechanism pivoted to the iron,

and a connection between the controller and the power mechanism embodying a pivoted member having a lost motion connection with the pivoted controller becoming effective when the iron has been separated from the bed such greater distance to prevent the operation of said power mechanism by the controller.

RANDOLPH V. WELLER, 

